Display device



Sept. 13, 1938.

R. M. CARNES ET AL DISPLAY DEVICE Filed June 4, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I647 mm. w 2% ,E N 4 m EM? 0 Wk w w R. M. CARNES ET AL Sept. 13, 1938.

DISPLAY DEVICE Filed June 4, 1957 {E4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 13, 1938.

DISPLAY DEVICE Filed June 4, 1937 R. M. CARNES ET AL 4' Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 13, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPLAY DEVICE Application June 4, 1937, Serial No. 146,470

10 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a display device wherein a plurality of characters or designs are interchangeable.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of a display device wherein a packet of character plates are positioned and operable to be successively moved from one side of the pack to the other side thereof.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a display device provided with a casing having a window, and having a packet of character plates with one of the character plates thereof visible through said window, and means operable to successively move the character plates of said packet to a position for exposure through said window.

A further object is the provision of a display device provided with a plurality of packets of character plates so inter-related that the operation of certain plates of one of said packets will cause the actuation of means to operate the plates of another packet.

Other objects are simplicity of construction, ease of operation and adaptability to various arrangements and operations of the parts.

Many other minor objects will appear during the course of the specification.

Reference will now be had to the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a face view of a display device embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of the device, with the front plate removed.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, rear view of one of the display units, with the parts shown in the normal position.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 3, with the plate operating mechanism in the raised position.

40 Fig. 5 is a vertical section, taken on line V-V of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a vertical, sectional view, taken on line VI-VI of Fig. 4.

Fig. '7 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 6, but with the elongated plate raised.

Fig. 8 is a sectional plan view, taken on line VIII-VIII of Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section, taken on line IXIX of Fig. 3.

Fig. 10 is a horizontal, sectional view, taken on line X-X of Fig. 4, and,

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view of the electric circuit used in the operation of three associated units, such as shown in Fig. 2.

Throughout the several views, like reference characters designate similar parts, and the numeral indicates a casing, wherein the working parts are housed. It will be noted that this particular casing as clearly shown in Fig. 1, is designed to present a basket ball score board, wherein the character plates necessary to indicate the scores, time and quarters are visible through windows 22, which may be provided with a transparent covering, if desired. This score board shows only one adaptation of this invention, which may be used for the display of any of several character plates contained therein. In the present showing, the interconnections between adjacent packets is such as to permit of the indication of units, tens and hundreds by manually controlling the unit packet only. This invention is adaptable also for many other uses, not shown, but which will be apparent during the course of the specification.

The casing 29 is provided adjacent each of the windows 22 with a magazine 24, having vertically disposed channel runways 26, in which is mounted a packet 21 of contiguous character plates 28, which are adapted to receive character 30 on the face thereof. Plates 28 are turned over at the vertical edge portions to produce a thickened edge 32 so that when the plates are formed in a packet with the thickened edges contiguous, the body portion of the plates will be in spaced-apart relation, thereby precluding possible rubbing of the surfaces of the plates together, which might mutilate the characters produced thereon. The magazines are vertically elongated to allow vertical successive movement of the plates therein to a point above the packet, for reasons hereinafter set forth.

Character plates 28 are in vertical, contiguous relation, and are adapted to rest on a support 34, so as to be positioned in alignment with and to the rear of window 22. It is the intention to position the character 30 on the outer face of each of the character plates 28, so that said characters will be visible through the window 22 as they are successively positioned at the front of the packet. It is intended, when desirable, to provide characters on each side of the plates of a packet so that either set of characters may be used by simply reversing the position of the packet in the magazine. That portion of the plate which is exposed through the window 22 is always free from contact with adjacent plates and associated magazine, parts, so that said characters are free from abrasion and will retain their 'original form for a long period of time.

The following means for moving and transposing plates 28, as clearly shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, is adapted to be controlled by a suitable key board 36, shown diagrammatically in Fig. 11. A pair of guide rods 38, positioned at the rear of and in parallel relation with magazine 24, are adapted to support a carriage 48 for longitudinal movement therealong. The upper ends of guide rods 38 are secured to the header plate 42 of the magazine 24. A solenoid 44, having movable core 46, is carried by magazine 24, and is connected by means of a link 48 to the intermediate member 58, of a two-Way switch 52. Link 48 is pivotally connected at 54 to the core 48 and by means of pin 58 to member 58, thus allowing an oscillatory movement of 58, which is pivotally mounted on stub shaft 58, as core 48 is reciprocated.

A contact point 68, carried by resilient arm 62, is carried by magazine 24 and insulated therefrom by means of block 84. This contact point 60 is normally in engagement with contact point 66, carried by the intermediate switch member 50. A bell crank lever 68, also pivoted on stub shaft 58, is provided at its one end 69 with a contact member 10 which, under certain conditions, is adapted to contact the intermediate member 50. A leaf spring 12, carried by lever 88, is adapted to engage the intermediate member to urge it upwardly against the contact point 58 and to support the core 46 in the raised position. When switch 52 is moved to the position as shown in Fig. 4, it will be noted that the tongue 51, which projects outwardly from member 58, contacts a stationary stop 59, carried by the channel 26, thereby causing a breaking of contacts 86 and 18 as the plate is being raised, as hereinafter set forth.

The other arm 14 of bell crank lever 68 is interconnected with carriage 48 by means of a connecting bar 16, by pivots l8 and 88.

Carriage 40 is provided with a depending member 82 which serves to carry a lug 84, on which is mounted for sliding movement, an operating arm 88. A spring 88, secured to member 82, passes through an opening 90, formed through the lower end of the operating arm 86, and tends to maintain the upper end of said operating arm in a forward position, so that the detent 92 formed therein will engage the lower edge of the rear plate 28 of the packet, while the portion of the operating arm 86 above the detent rests against the rear face of said plate. Coil spring 94 is mounted on one of the guide rods 38 and rests against the upper end of carriage 40.

A single switch 96, including a stationary point 88 and a movable point I80, carried by the movable arm hl2, is carried by casing 20 through the intermediacy of bracket I84. A lever I08, positioned above magazine 24 and in the path of travel of certain of said character plates 28, is in terconnected by means of operating rod N18 with the movable member I82, so that as Hi8 is raised, as hereinafter set forth, switch 96 will be closed.

In view of the fact that in the present application of this invention it is desired to indicate the score of the two teams by operating the control mechanism for the first magazine, designated as A in Figs. 1 and 2, it is found convenient to use ten character plates, each carrying one of the digits. That character plate carrying the zero is provided with an upwardly extending tongue H8 which, when raised by the action of solenoid 44 and its associated parts, contacts lever I86 and causes the switch 98 to be closed. The other nine character plates of this particular set are shorter than the zero plate and never come in contact with lever I06 to operate the switch.

Carried by the magazine 24 at its upper side, in the path of travel of the moving plates, is a rebound spring H2. This spring not only serves as a retarder for the rapidly moving plate, but also serves to impart the downward urge causing the plate to be more quickly forced to the operative position at the front of the packet. A depending tongue H4 serves to prevent the upper end of the plate from falling forward against the front of the magazine. The deflector bar H5, positioned intermediate the outer planes of the magazine and above the packet 21, serves to deflect the lower end of the lifted character plate from the rear to the front of packet 21. Leaf springs H8, carried by magazine 24, serve to maintain the upper end of the packet against the rear edge of the runway 26. By referring to Figs. 6 and '7, in which the character plate 28a is shown. in its completely raised position, it will be noted that it has been thrown from engagement with detent 92 and is compressing the spring I I2. Also, the upper end of operating arm 88 moves forwardly by the action of spring 88 and gravity to move the lower end of the plate out of alignment with detent 92, thereby making it possible for the lower end of the plate to contact the inclined surface of deflector H5 so that said plate will be directed to the front of the packet 27 and in alignment with window 22.

In order to facilitate proper functioning of switch 96, an arcuate spring I83, secured at its one end to bracket I84 and at its other end to arm Hill in such a manner as to exert either a closing or opening movement of the contacts 98 and 108 as the body of said spring moves to opposite sides of the axis of oscillation of arm I02.

It is apparent that plate 28a. will close switch 96 and it will remain in the closed position until forced to the open position by means of the movement of arm I85 into engagement with collar I81, which is rigidly attached to the switch operating rod I88. By this control mechanism for switch 86, it is possible to maintain the switch closed a sufficient length of time to permit proper functioning of the solenoid in one of the other units.

In order to eliminate considerable friction and to permit of more rapid movement of operating arm 86, a roller I2!) is mounted in each one of the channel runways 26 adjacent the deflector H6 and in the path of travel of said operating arm. When operating arm 86 contacts said rollers in both its upward and downward movements, said rollers will be rotated, thereby eliminating considerable friction and insuring a free travel of the moving parts.

As each of the plates 28 is delivered to the front of the packet, as just described, they will be delivered with considerable force and will be deposited on the buffer spring I22, which is secured to the bottom of the magazine 24, thus absorbing a portion of the momentum and permitting the plate to more readily adjust itself to the desired operative position.

Reference will now be had to Fig. 11, which shows a diagrammatic view of the electric circuit used in the operation of three associated units, such as shown in Fig. 2, wherein each unit may be selectively and independently operated or all of the units may be manipulated by the actu ating of the unit carrying the digits, thereby indicating a cumulative showing of the several scores made by the different plays.

A supply of electrical current is carried through line wires I24 and I26 from any suitable source not shown. Manually controlled switches I28, I30 and I32 are respectively associated with units C, B, and A respectively, and serve to close the circuit so as to energize the respective solenoids and operate the mechanism as heretofore described. One point 534 of switch I32 is connected through wires I36, I38 and I44 to the feed wire I24, while the other point I42 is connected by means of wire I44 to the contact point 6!) of switch 52 of the A unit. The intermediate movable contact point 45 of switch 52 is connected by means of wire 246 to feed wire I26 through solenoid 44, thereby completing the circuit through the closing of switch I32. Contact point 10 of switch 52 is connected by means of wire I48 and wire I43 to feed wire I24. With the solenoid 44 in unit A connected with the supply wires I24 and I26 as just set forth, it is possible to maintain switch I32 closed for just a sufficient time to cause contact point (it to engage with point It, after which switch I32 may be opened and the current will still be maintained through the solenoid coil through wires I46, contact points 48 and Ill, wires I48 and M3, to the feed lines, thereby making it possible to maintain the core 46 of the solenoid in the retracted position until such time as the contact points '56 and to are broken, as described above.

The point ISEI of switch I30 is connected with line wire I24 through wires 1 3i! and I49, and switch point I54 is connected to contact point 50 of switch 52 of unit B through wire I56. The intermediate contact point. to of switch 52 is interconnected with one end of the solenoid coil through member 54 and wire I56. The other end of the solenoid coil is connected by wire N34 to feed wire I26. The single switch 96 is connected between wire I53 and the feed wire I24 by conductor I52.

Referring now to switch I28, it will be noted that the contact point I 64 thereof is connected through wires I38 and 440 with said wire I24, and that the point IE5 is connected with contact point 69 of switch 52 through wire I483.

The operation of the three units A, B and C, which respectively represent the units, tens, and hundreds in the system of numbers, will be suflicient to clearly show the different positions of the parts of the three units when used as a cumulative system.

Referring first to unit A, which is manually controlled by means of switch I32, and considering that one point has been made in the basket ball game and it is desired to add this one unit to the total indicated by the position of the characters on the three units. The operator closes switch I32 so that current passes from said wire E24 through wires E44, M8, contact points I34, I42, wire I44, switch 52, in which the contact points 64 and B6 are normally closed, thence through member 50, wire 546, through solenoid 44, thence by wire I46 to the other feed wire I26. When the solenoid 44 is thus energized, core 46.0perates to cause the rear character plate 28 of the packet to be raised and transferred to the front side of the packet, so that the character thereon will be visible through the window 22. This operation will thereby expose to View a numeral next higher than that previously shown. If a play, having a value of two points was made, the same operation of switch I32 would be repeated to increase the total score one more point.

When the digit 9 is visible through the window in unit A, then the next score to be added will require the movement of the plate containing the zero character to the front of the packet in unit A and the movement of the next higher digit in unit B to the visible position. This is accomplished in the following manner. As the plate 28, provided with tongue I I6, is moved upwardly during the transfer of the zero character plate in the unit A to the front of the packet, the switch 96 is closed, as hereinbefore described, so that current will pass from the feed wire I26 through solenoid 44 of the B unit, thence through conductor I62, contact points 98 and ISO to the feed wire I24, thus causing the rear plate in the packet of unit B to be moved to the position adjacent window 22.

In order to add the next higher digit to the hundred column at each ten movements of solenoid 44 in unit B, another switch 96 is provided in unit 13, which is interconnected with wire I'I!) connecting member 50 with solenoid 44 of unit C and feed wire I24 by means of wires I12.

It is apparent that a continuation of this same system might be provided to include numbers of any desired denomination. As a precautionary measure to indicate the closed condition of either of switches I28, I3!) or I32, a signal lamp I'M is positioned in the line common to said switches and the feed line I24, thus making it possible to detect a closed switch which might cause a continuous operation of the plate-moving apparatus. It is apparent that by means of the mechanism and electrical connections therewith, that each of the units A, B and C may be selectively operated.

Furthermore, unit A may be operated to cause the proper movement of all succeeding units. It is very evident that should it become necessary to start the numerical indications at a high figure, such as that shown on the score board in Fig. l, the operator would simply operate C once and B nine times, thereby indicating the numeral 190.

To clear the board, the operator simply operates the keys controlling each of the units until the zero appears at each window.

What we claim is:

1. A display device comprising a casing having windows therein; a packet of character plates positioned in said casing in register with each of said windows; mechanism operable to move the rear plate of certain of said packets of char acter plates to the front of the packet; and means operable by certain of said plates of said certain packet to move the rear plate of another packet of character plates to the front thereof, whereby the character thereon is visible through said window.

2. A display device comprising a magazine; a packet of character plates vertically disposed in said magazine; and means operable to engage the lower edge of the outside character plate at one side of said packet and raise it above said packet and deposit it at the opposite side thereof.

3. A display device comprising a magazine; a packet of character plates vertically disposed in said magazine; means operable to raise the outside character plate at one side of said packet above said packet and deposit it at the opposite side thereof; and resilient means associated with said first named means and operable to force said raised plate downwardly to said transposed position.

4. A display device comprising a plurality of magazines; a packet of character plates vertically positioned in each of said magazines; means associated with each of said magazines to selectively operate and move an outside character plate, of the respective packets of character plates, to the opposite sides of the packets; and means associated with a certain plate of one of said packets to actuate means to move character plates in another packet from one side to the other side thereof.

5. A display device comprising a plurality of magazines; a packet of character plates vertically positioned in each of said magazines; means, including a solenoid, associated with each of said magazines to selectively operate and move an outside character plate, of the respective packets of character plates, to the opposite sides of the packets; and means associated with a certain plate of one of said packets to actuate means to move character plates in another packet from one side to the other side thereof.

6. A display device comprising a magazine; a packet of character plates vertically disposed and positioned adjacent the bottom of said magazine; a solenoid associated with said magazine; manually controlled means for supplying an electrical current to said solenoid; means operable by said energized solenoid to lift one of the outside character plates vertically above said packet and deposit it at the opposite side thereof; and resilient members above and below said packet operable to facilitate rapid movement and positioning of said transferred plate.

'7. A display device comprising a plurality of magazines; a packet of character plates vertically positioned in each of said magazines; means, including a solenoid, selectively operable, to move an outside character plate of the respective packets to the opposite side of the packet; manually controlled means to selectively control the flow of an electrical current to said solenoid; and means operable by certain of said character plates, during their movement from one side to the other of their respective packets, to close the circuit and cause an electric current to be supplied to solenoids of other magazine units.

8. A display device comprising a plurality of magazines; a packet of character plates vertically positioned in each of said magazines; means, including a solenoid, selectively operable, to move an outside character plate of the respective packets to the opposite side of the packet; remote control means to selectively control the flow of an electrical current to said solenoid; and means, operable by certain of said character plates, during their movement from one side to the other of their respective packets, to close the circuit and cause an electric current to be supplied to solenoids of other magazine units.

9. A display device comprising a magazine; a packet O; vertically disposed character plates having thickened portions along their vertical edges whereby the bodies of the plates are held in spaced-apart relation; and manually controlled electrical operating means to raise the outside character plate above said packet, a deflector plate to cause said raised character plate to be moved across the upper edge of said packet and be deposited on the other side thereof.

A display device comprising a magazine; a packet of vertically disposed character plates having thickened portions along their vertical edges whereby the bodies of the plates are held in spaced-apart relation; manually controlled electrical operating means to raise the outside character plate above said packet; a deflector plate to cause said raised character plate to be moved across the upper edge of said packet and deposited on the other side thereof; and resilient means operable to hasten the movement of said character plate.

ROBERT M. CARNES. ROY E. GEARHART. 

